1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method and system for monitoring operation of a dispensing system, and more particularly to a method and system for accurately diagnosing operation of a dispensing system for dispensing liquid products.
2. Description of Prior Art
Dispensing systems using aspirators to dispense product can be used in many cleaning and sanitizing processes, such as laundering, warewashing or the like. These processes vary from, on one hand, simply manually measuring and mixing to utilize in a computer-controlled dilution device. One common dilution mode involves utilizing a dispensing device that combines, under mixing conditions, a flow of concentrate and then a flow of diluent. The flow of liquid diluent can be directed through an aspirator such that, as the diluent passes through the aspirator, a negative pressure rises inside the aspirator drawing the liquids concentrate into the aspirator to mix with the liquid diluent. Both Copeland, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,649 and Freese, U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,825 and Mehus, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,592 disclose dispensers having aspirators for diluting liquid concentrates to produce liquid products in this general way. Such aspirator-type dispensers have been used for diluting and dispensing a liquid concentrate.
In a number of applications, there is a desire to supply a certain amount of liquid concentrate. In using a timing mechanism wherein the aqueous diluent is used for a certain amount of time, various amounts of concentrate may be dispensed depending upon the pressure of the liquid diluent and/or the viscosity of the liquid concentrate.
Given the range in viscosity of varying formulated liquid products, and the change that can result in viscosity due to the conditions uncontrollable by the manufacturer, such as temperature of the use location and pressure of the aqueous diluent used for dispensing, problems can and do occur that result in too little or too much product being dispensed. Even situations may arise where no product is dispensed as a result of the product source being empty or the dispenser malfunctioning without notice to an operator. There are numerous parameters and conditions that effect the dilution of liquid products that are dispensed by an aspirating dispenser.
To address these problems, U.S. application Ser. No. 12/862,990 disclosed a method, apparatus and system for accurately measuring and calibrating liquid components dispensed from a dispenser independent of the viscosity of the aqueous liquid product or the pressure of the source of the liquid diluent by using a flow meter in combination with an aspirating dispenser.
Before the invention of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/862,990, troubleshooting aspirating dispensers was typically accomplished by a guess and check method; an expense most companies are not willing to bear. With little diagnostics information to work with, operators and service technicians could spend hours and even days troubleshooting a dispensing system.
The present invention addresses these problems and provides a method and system for monitoring, troubleshooting and acquiring diagnostics information from a dispensing system.
In addition, the present invention provides valuable and useful information, both historical and in real-time, about the state of the dispenser.